SMSA (Sydney Mechanics’ School of Arts)
New Book Highlights
BIOGRAPHY
| Beauchamp, Carl | Come home you little bastards |
| Ellis, Samantha | Take courage |
| Fleming, Melissa | A hope more powerful than the sea |
| Guo, Xiaolu | Once upon a time in the East |
| Isichei, Bridget | Road no good |
| Kanigel, Robert | The man who knew infinity |
| Lee, Min Jin | Pachinko |
| Lindgren, Astrid | A world gone mad |
| McBryde, Renee | The house of lies |
| Pettegree, Andrew | Brand luther |
| Ricca, Brad | Mrs. Sherlock Holmes |
| Sitwell, William | Eggs or anarchy |
| Sixsmith, Martin | Ayesha’s gift |
| Spence, Lyndsy | The mistress of Mayfair |
| Williams, Susan | Colour bar |
Ayesha’s gift / Martin Sixsmith
Like Martin Sixsmith’s Philomena, which was turned into the film of the same name, Ayesha’s Gift is about a woman’s quest for the truth and the journalist who brings her story to the world. Ayesha, the daughter of Pakistani immigrants and chief executive of a successful IT consultancy in London, suddenly learns that her father has died during a visit to Pakistan. The police claim it was suicide but it quickly becomes apparent to Ayesha that he has been murdered. She approaches Sixsmith to help her find out what happened and write a book about it. Reluctantly drawn in by the emotion and murkiness of the story, Sixsmith deftly explores his reservations. When the Pakistani private detective that Ayesha employs to investigate is shot, the quest turns into a dangerous expose of corruption and the dark side of family honour. Sixsmith untangles this complex, topical drama with clarity and compassion. (Sydney Morning Herald, 10 February 2017)
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GENERAL FICTION
| Arden, Katherine | The bear and the nightingale |
| Auster, Paul | 4 3 2 1 |
| Barnett, David M | Calling Major Tom |
| Bohjalian, Chris | The guest room |
| Campion, Alice | The shifting light |
| Chang, Janie | Dragon Springs Road |
| Colgan, Jenny | The Summer seaside kitchen |
| Cox, Josephine | A family secret |
| Delaney, J P. | The girl before |
| Ellwood, Nuala | My sister’s bones |
| Fallon, Jane | My sweet revenge |
| Frankel, Laurie | This is how it always is |
| Fuller, Claire | Swimming lessons |
| Goldbloom, Goldie | Gwen |
| Greaney, Mark | Gunmetal gray |
| Hamid, Mohsin | Exit west |
| Hawken, Sam | Walk away |
| Heyman, Kathryn | Storm and Grace |
| Holliday, Lucy | A night in with Grace Kelly |
| Hurwitz, Gregg Andrew | The nowhere man |
| Hussain, Nadiya | The secret lives of the Amir sisters |
| James, Wendy | The golden child |
| Lewis, Susan | You said forever |
| Logan, Kirsty | A portable shelter |
| Macgregor, Virginia | Before I was yours |
| Matar, Hisham | In the country of men |
| Mbue, Imbolo | Behold the dreamers |
| Nguyen, Viet Thanh | The refugees |
| O’Nan, Stewart | City of secrets |
| Onuzo, Chibundu | Welcome to Lagos |
| Pinborough, Sarah | Behind her eyes |
| Plokhy, Serhii | The man with the poison gun |
| Sauma, Luiza | Flesh and bone and water |
| Spiers, Hilary | Love, lies & linguine |
| Yan, Mo | The republic of wine |
Behold the dreamers / Imbolo Mbue
This heartfelt and intimate portrayal of African immigrants trying to make it in New York City around 2007 focuses on the family of Jende Jonga from Cameroon. He lands a job as a chauffeur for a wealthy finance industry boss and is then able to bring his wife, Neni, and their young son over from Africa. Neni enrolls in college and is hired as a cleaner and nanny for the family for whom Jende works, and they become more involved with these superrich people who have problems of their own. As the Wall Street financial crisis deepens, Jende loses his job, and their application for asylum is rejected. The incredible pressures of poverty, limited opportunities, and the grind of New York City and an uncertain future stress the family to the breaking point as a new baby is born and they struggle not to lose sight of their dream. Mbue’s debut portrays these individuals realistically and sympathetically as the stresses of surviving in New York City lead to marital difficulties and physical confrontations. A fast-paced, engaging read with an interesting cross-cultural background. (Library Journal, vol 141, issue 10)
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HISTORICAL FICTION
| Begbie, Richard, | Cotter |
| Collins, Rebecca Ann | Mr. Darcy’s daughter |
| Hickman, Katie | The house at Bishopsgate |
| Saunders, George | Lincoln in the bardo |
Lincoln in the Bardo / George Saunders
Short story master Saunders eagerly awaited first novel may not be what fans of his dystopic, sf-like short stories have expected. It begins with snippets of historical fact that set the novel at the time of the death of Abraham Lincoln’s son Willie. The entries shift to quips made by individuals, and we realize we are hearing conversations among spirits that haunt the Washington graveyard where Willie is buried. When Lincoln returns for a grieving nighttime visit, these apparitions attempt to reunite Willie’s spirit with his father. Bardo is a term from Tibetan Buddhism referring to the transitional state between death and the next realm; the wraiths in this amorphous space chatter, float about, see visions, and change shape in disorienting ways. Yet they are confined, both by their previous lives and by a fear of final judgment, of which Saunders provides a truly horrifying glimpse. A stunningly powerful work, both in its imagery and its intense focus on death, this remarkable work of historical fiction gives an intimate view of 19th-century fears and mores through the voices of the bardo’s denizens. (Library Journal, vol 141, issue 16)
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MYSTERY
| Ahnhem, Stefan | The ninth grave |
| Alexander, Tasha | And only to deceive |
| Armstrong, Kelley | A darkness absolute |
| Athanasou, Nikos | Palindrome |
| Bailey, R. J. | Safe from harm |
| Briggs, J. C. | Murder by ghostlight |
| Caan, Alex | Cut to the bone |
| Carver, Caroline | Tell me a lie |
| Castle, Richard | High heat |
| Christie, Agatha | The witness for the prosecution and other stories |
| Clarke, Angela | Watch me |
| Corris, Peter | Win, lose or draw |
| Crombie, Deborah | Garden of lamentations |
| Douglas, Stuart | Counterfeit detective |
| Elrod, P. N. | The hanged man |
| Ewan, Chris | The good thief’s guide to Berlin |
| Fields, Helen | Perfect remains |
| Fox, Candice | Crimson lake |
| Gardner, Lisa | Right behind you |
| Greenall, Stephen | Winter traffic |
| Herron, Mick | Spook street |
| Holt, Anne | What dark clouds hide |
| Jackson, Lisa | Final scream |
| Jackson, Lisa | Devious |
| Kellerman, Jonathan | Heartbreak hotel |
| Keneally, Meg | The unmourned Reviewed Here |
| Kernick, Simon | The bone field |
| King, Laurie | Echoes of Sherlock Holmes |
| Larsen, K. J. | Liar, liar |
| MacRae, Molly | Plaid and plagiarism |
| Mark, David John | Cruel mercy |
| Marsons, Angela | Evil games |
| May, Peter | The fourth sacrifice |
| May, Peter | The killing room |
| McCallin, Luke | The ashes of Berlin |
| Muir, Andy | Something for nothing |
| Parks, Carrie Stuart | When death draws near |
| Pembrey, Daniel | The harbour master |
| Pyers, Greg | The unfortunate victim |
| Qiu, Xiaolong | Enigma of China |
| Qiu, Xiaolong | Shanghai redemption |
| Quinn, Anthony | Trespass |
| Robb, J. D. | Echoes in death |
| Spillane, Mickey | Murder never knocks |
| Stratmann, Linda | An appetite for murder |
| Todd, Charles | Racing the devil |
| Truffle, Lesley | The scandalous life of Sasha Torte |
Plaid and plagiarism / Molly MacRae
Four women open a bookstore in Inversgail, Scotland, in this charming series debut from MacRae. Janet Marsh, a former Illinois librarian, is seeking a new life after a painful divorce; Janet’s 38-year-old daughter, Tallie, is a burned-out law professor; and Tallie’s former college roommate, Summer Jacobs, is an ex-reporter. The fourth friend, Christine Robertson, was born in the Highland town but has spent most of her married life in Illinois. They have bought not only Yon Bonnie Books but the adjoining space (future tearoom) and the bedrooms upstairs (future B and B). Their ambitious plans hit one snag after another, including renters who trash Janet’s house and a body in the shed at the bottom of the garden. In an effort to move the police investigation along, the four poke around, learning that many locals (a) didn’t like the victim and (b) don’t like a lot of “foreigners” in Inversgail. It will be fun to see what these independent, resourceful, and likable women do next. (Publishers Weekly, vol 263, issue 40)
When death draws near / Carrie Stuart Parkes
Forensic sketch artist Gwen Marcey travels to Pikeville, Ky., for what is supposed to be a temporary assignment. While helping solve a serial rapist case, she is drawn into a second open case of seemingly accidental deaths. After receiving a chilling death threat and a growing number of odd questions from the investigating officers, Marcey becomes suspicious of everyone and decides she must rely solely on herself to figure out what is really happening in Pikeville. With no one to turn to, Marcey must rely on her faith and wits to maintain hope in such bleak circumstances. Making use of her artistic and forensic skills, she slowly homes in on a stranger living in the community as the prime suspect. And the deeper she digs, the more the evidence mounts connecting the two separate cases. With no time to waste, Marcey must use her investigative skills to solve the dangerously entwined cases before more victims are harmed. The compelling crimes, inscrutable community, and resilient heroine propel Parks’s latest thrill-packed installment in the chronicles of no-nonsense Gwen Marcey. (Publishers Weekly, vol 263, issue 24)
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NON FICTION
| Ardito, Fabrizio | The Italian Riviera | TRV 914.518 EYEW |
| Athill, Diana | A Florence diary | TRV 914.551104 ATHI |
| Cosgrove, Stuart | Detroit *67 | 781.64 COSG |
| Dickins, Barry | Last Words | AUS 364.66 DICK |
| Fergusson, Maggie | Treasure palaces | 701.18 FERG |
| Godden, Judith | Crown street women’s hospital | AUS 362.11 GODD |
| Gooden, Philip | May we borrow your language? | 422 GOOD |
| Grenville, Kate | The case against fragrance | 668.54 GREN |
| Hammer, Joshua | The bad-ass librarians of Timbuktu | 025.82 HAMM |
| Huntley, Rebecca | Still lucky | AUS 301.072 HUNT |
| James, Lawrence | Empires in the sun | 960.23 JAME |
| Lewis, Michael | The undoing project | 612.8233 LEWI |
| Mahood, Kim | Position doubtful | AUS 920.72 MAHM |
| McNab, Duncan | Getting away with murder | 363.25 MCNA |
| Neuman, Andreas | How to travel without seeing | TRV 980.0412 NEUM |
| Radcliffe, Mathew | Kampong Australia | AUS 358.41 RADC |
| Schwalbe, Will | Books for living | 028 SCHW |
| Scott, Gini Graham | Scammed | 364.16 SCOT |
| Sobel, Dava | The glass universe | 522 SOBE |
| Starkey, David | The reign of Henry VIII | 942.05 STAR |
| Steward, Mark | Great expeditions | 910.9 STEW |
| Sullivan, Karen | Get fit with your dog | 636.708 SULL |
| Thinard, Florence | Explorers’ botanical notebook | 580.92 THIN |
The bad-ass librarians of Timbuktu / Joshua Hammer
As a former bureau chief for Newsweek and current contributing editor to Smithsonian, Hammer draws on many visits to the city and interviews to chronicle the efforts of Abdel Kader Haidara to save priceless literary and historical manuscripts. Since the 1980s, Haidara traveled by camel, canoe, and on foot, crossing perilous terrain, to acquire ancient manuscripts that had been hidden for safekeeping, sometimes in caves or holes in the ground. Some had decayed to dust or been eaten by termites, but in the dry climate, many thousands had been preserved. After nearly a decade at the institute, he had collected 16,500 manuscripts. Eventually, he amassed hundreds of thousands. As Hammer portrays him, Haidara was tireless, ingenious, and single-minded. Besides recounting Haidara’s efforts as collector, fundraiser, library builder, and publicist, Hammer conveys in palpable detail the rise and radicalization of al-Qaida militants. By 2006, Timbuktu had evolved into a modern city, with five hotels catering to growing tourism. Six years later, hundreds of extremists took over, arresting, executing, holding foreign hostages for exorbitant ransoms, and determined to purge the city of music, art, and literature. A chilling portrait of a country under siege and one man’s defiance. (Kirkus Reviews, January 15th, 2016)
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ROMANCE
| Bennetto, Catherine | How not to fall in love, actually |
| Erskine, Barbara | Encounters |
| James, Eloisa | Seven minutes in Heaven |
| Quinn, Julia | Four weddings and a sixpence |
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SCIENCE FICTION & FANTASY
| Baxter, Stephen | The massacre of mankind |
| Bear, Greg | Take back the sky |
| Brown, Pierce | Golden son |
| Brown, Pierce | Red Rising |
| Goss, James | The pirate planet |
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New additions to eBooks at SMSA
EBOOKS
| Animal stories | Crawford, Anne | Ralf |
| Biography | X, Katherine | Behind closed doors |
| General novels | Capp, Fiona | To know my crime |
| General novels | Kennedy, Cate | Like a house on fire |
| General novels | Moriarty, Nicola | The fifth letter |
| Historical fiction | Rowland, Laura Joh | The Ripper’s shadow |
| Historical fiction | Williams, Beatriz | The wicked city |
| Mystery | Bjork, Samuel | I’m travelling alone |
| Mystery | Marsons, Angela | Lost girls |
| Mystery | Ryan, Annelise | Dead in the water |
| Mystery | Wild, Elle | Strange things done |
| Non fiction | Rowe, Claudia | The spider and the fly |
| Science fiction & fantasy | Sarah Beth Durst | The Queen of blood |
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AUDIOBOOKS
| General novels | Brown, Holly | This is not over |
| Mystery | Ellis, Joy | Crime on the Fens |
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New Books — March 2017
The new books for March 2017 are now available to borrow, with new ebooks and audiobooks.
We hope you enjoy them!
- New books may be borrowed for a period of two weeks only and may not be renewed.
- Books remain listed as “New Books” for two months.
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